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The Chamber of Sages
The Chamber of Sages was a domain that existed between the years 584 BDW and 10 BDW. It was famous for possessing some of the most powerful mages in recent history. It was conquered and disbanded when Emperor Khuffie created The Legends Alliance. Its rival domains gave it the nickname "Chamberpot." History Foundation After the destruction of Kakariko Village and the collapse of the Hall of Heroes, survivors from both former domains scattered throughout the land. Those seeking enlightenment, isolation, and harmony went to the northern reaches of Verden. They settled in the Tor-Denma Mountains and began construction of a fortified city. At the heart of this city was a grand cathedral dedicated to the known gods of the land and the magic they possessed. The first rulers of this new settlement would make their decisions from a well-protected chamber in the upper levels of the cathedral, giving the domain it's name. While The Desert of Mystery had largely been settled by militants seeking to become a new world power, the Chamber took an isolationist stance for the first years of its existence. Few people initially knew about the Chamber's existence. That was their intention, as the wars of the past had taken their toll on the new settlers. The people of the Chamber held a belief that magic was the way to enlightenment and the betterment of humanity, as it was something that only the gods had full mastery of. They began rigorous studies on the nature of magic and elemental manipulation. Most early citizens of the Chamber were already mages of varying skill levels. They had been rare warriors in the previous set of domains, but united together they made rapid improvements in the field of magical study. In the first months of the domain's existence, the strongest mages took on the title of "Sage," and then followd up with a designation that signaled what their speciality was. For example, the "Sage of Fire" would be the master of fire manipulation. A ruling council of seven Sages was formed, and they became the official leaders of the new domain. Magical Infusion After forty years of intense study, it was determined that individuals had a "maximum capacity" for the magical arts. Some people were naturally gifted, others had only limited control over magic, and others still had absolutely no connection to magic at all. There seemed to be no way to naturally increase one's maximum ability to use magic. Rather than cast out those who had no skill in the "arts," the Sages began to research a way to augment a person's skills and provide them with a new, if artifical, way of establishing a connection with magical energy. It is unknown how the first method of augmentation was invented, but the first experiments began in the year 542 BDW. Magical infusion not only gave skills to the previously ungifted, but also enhanced the powers of those who already had some mastery over the arts. It didn't take long for infusion to become a standard Chamber practice. Most citizens, especially those born after the technique's invention, became augmented. There were some side effects. While many retained their normal appearance, some developed unnatural features - unique skin tones, things not found on humans (such as feathers or fur), deformation of the teeth and nails, and a much wider range of abnormalities. "Mutant" was a slang term directed at these people. It was not all horrible, as the deformed "mutants" of the Chamber often had greater mastery over magic than their normal-looking peers. The enhanced mages of the Chamber could use most types of magic to some extent, but often specialized in one form or another. Some skills came more naturally than others, but which powers would manifest were often up to random chance. It was at this time that the term "Sage" began to apply to all citizens of the domain, but the council of seven was still the ultimate authority. The Mercenary Sages In the year 513 BDW, the country of Roslen was at war with Muldinach. Roslen was severely outnumbered and soon to face defeat, so they began to hire mercenaries for their upcoming campaigns. The Chamber of Sages entered the world stage, breaking the domain's isolationist streak, after the council gave its approval to hire out Sages at mercenaries (if for no other reason than to test Sage effectiveness in battle). Several hundred young Sages offered their blades and talents to Roslen for a hefty price. The Sages dominated the battlefields. By the end of the war, Muldinach suffered from very heavy casualties and surrendered three counties to Roslen in an effort to end the war. The young Sages were celebrated as nigh invulnerable war heroes and returned home to their domain with great sums of loot and pay. Roslen hired additional Sages to open up a land-based trade route with the nation of Lanasach. The route to Lanasach was extremely dangerous due to the domain known as the Desert of Mystery, which dominated a growing portion of the southern deserts. Desert raiders had been preying upon the trade route for years. Sages were sent in with the next supply convoy and took the raiders by complete surprise. The first encounter with the Sages resulted in slaughter for the raiders, as no one had expected the quiet Chamber of Sages to do well in battle. The Desert Defenders, the elite warriors of the region, were called in to intercept the next year's trade run. The Sage mercenaries did well initially, but superior tactics on the part of the Desert Defenders resulted in the loss of the new convoy and the capture of two Sages. Roslen then entered all-out war with the Desert of Mystery. Sage mercenaries, and even dedicated Sage warriors, were sent in to assist. Roslen and the Desert war for five years. Both sides are gripped in a stalemate, and the heavy loss of life results in the signing of a peace treaty. After the fruitless war, the Sages returned to their domain and returned to a state of isolation. Muldinach and The Rise of Khuffie The Sages returned to active combat roles after roughly one hundred years of studious solititude. By this time, Roslen and Muldinach had formed an alliance and were attempting an invasion of Unidiel. Why the Sages decided to break their long period of peace to attack Unidiel is unknown, but they showed special interest in the artifacts at a temple dedicated to Diel. It may be that the Sages wanted to study ancient magic using the artifacts. Whatever the case, the Sages returned to war. The Sages devastate the Unidiel army in the first years of the war, and it is their domination of the battlefield that prompts the avatar of Diel himself to enter combat. Despite the odds being in their favor, the Sages are unable to defeat the avatar of the God of Order, who leads the people of Unidiel to victory in the eleventh hour. Rather than cause severe harm to the Sages, Diel forces all parties involved to make peace. The Sages retreat back into the mountains and Diel watches over the land in silent meditation. In the year 258 BDW, Muldinach asked the Sages for support in a new war against Unidiel. The Chamber was hesitant to approve the request, but mercenaries were once again allowed to venture into battle after a period of debate. The focus of the war was the island of Nar Shanor, a resource-rich island paradise in the middle of the Lalvican. A third party known as the Resistance, despite the odds against them, was successful in fighting driving both Unidiel and Muldinach off the island. The island then disappeared into the fog, never to be seen again. Chamber Sages were never able to uncover the fate of the island after the end of the war. The Sages were often hired as security forces in Muldinach during the last two centuries of their existence. They would defend Muldinach from external threats and handle the most aggressive law enforcement operations. With no war to keep their minds occupied, some citizens of Muldinach began to look down on the Sages as "outsiders" and feared that the super-powered mages would one day attempt to secretly dominate Muldinach's government. One such young man was a military officer named Khuffie. Khuffie aspired to end the ceaseless warring on Verden by creating a strong union. He felt the influence of the Sages would have a negative impact on his goals. After Khuffie became the leading general of Muldinach, he assassinated the reigning monarch and declared himself an emperor. One of his first acts of business was to banish all Sages from his new kingdom. No longer welcome in Muldinach territory, the Sages nervously went back to their home and prepared for potential fallout. Defeat After uniting the nations of Verden, Emperor Khuffie and his new Legends Alliance marched north. The Alliance army laid siege to the Chamber of Sages after the domain refused to surrender. The siege lasted for months and fierce fighting occurred in the duration. The Alliance was eventually able to break the siege, invade the city and its grand cathedral, and wiped out most of the population. As the Chamber had not been warring like the Desert and Labyrinth had, this was Khuffie's most dangerous conquest. He lost many soldiers in the northern mountains, but the sheer size of his army was enough to force the last Sages to surrender and swear their loyalty to the new ruler of Verden. The ruined Chamber was then abandoned and wiped off the maps. Culture and Structure The people of the Chamber were known for their wisdom and tranquility. They did not war to the extent of the other domains and preferred quiet study to rambunctious battles. Many of their first inhabitants came from the domain known as Kakariko Village, meaning that the Chamber retained an emphasis on culture and art. The Chamber possessed many great creative minds and some of the literature Khuffie took back to his capital is considered to be some of the best in Verden. The Sages were dedicated to the quest for 'nirvana' and spent much time in heavy meditation, using their connection to magic to feel at one with the universe. They were one of the few domains or nations to actively pursue all fields of known science - others have focused primarily on military science. The Chamber was ruled by the seven Sages, often the most powerful in the domain. After a century of augmentation, all members of the Chamber were gifted in the use of magic and no 'normals' remained. There was a slight rift between the deformed "mutant" Sages and those that appeared normal, resulting in mutual prejudice on both sides. This rift was never severe enough to have any major impact on the domain as a whole. Magic training began at a young age and continued into adulthood with the most proficient studying longer still. The greatest Sages would go on to become masters to the younger generations. A brotherhood of sorts developed between the Sages hired out as mercenaries and they maintained a close kinship once they returned home, separating them slightly from those who did not participate in combat. Important Persons - The Sage of Shadow - Rhiannon Category:Domains Category:History: Domains Category:Geography: Nations